bowyer letter

COUNTY OF AMHERST OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TELEPHONE (434) 946-9431 AMHERST COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FACSIMILE (434) 946-9370 153 WASHINGTON STREET P. O. Box 390 AMHERST, VIRGINIA 24521 County Attorney Ellen Bowyer E-mail: [email protected] April 30, 2015 Via e-mail to [email protected] John W. Daniel, II, Esq., Deputy Attorney General Office of the Attorney General 900 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Re: Sweet Briar College Dear John, Thank you for your letter of April 30, 2015, inviting me to meet with you, counsel for Saving Sweet Briar, Inc. and counsel for Sweet Briar College to discuss ways forward to resolve the closure crisis. I am delighted to accept. I can meet any day from now until May 14, 2015, except for Tuesday May 5, 2015. I am a little surprised you have not invited counsel for the faculty and staff (White & Case) and counsel for the alumnae, students, and parents of students (Elliott Schuchardt). Are you planning to include them? I appreciate Attorney General Herring’s concern that “Sweet Briar and its community …engage in open, honest, and transparent communication about the Board’s decision”; in fact, I could not agree with that approach more. As one step towards that transparency, and to help lay the groundwork for a truly successful meeting, I would ask that the College produce the following at least two business days prior to any meeting date: All materials relied upon by the College Board of Directors to make the decision to close (including without limitation any reports or studies from any consultants or employees of the College). All reports, analyses and other materials demonstrating the College’s alleged lack of financial viability, including without limitation communications since June 2014, identifying problems connected to the bonds and other debts. Minutes, audio and video recordings for all Board meetings since May 2014. Documentation of donor agreements to release restricted funds, referred to by Woody Fowler at the April 15, 2015, hearing. Documentation describing what assets have been sold or transferred to date, and are planned for transfer in the future, and describing the transfer of land and buildings from occupants to the College. All materials provided by the College to the Attorney General in connection with any proposed or potential action under the Virginia Uniform Trust Code. All the parties need to know the true “lay of the land” so that we can have a productive dialogue, and sharing this information will help ensure that common knowledge base. I would like to participate in the choice of the third party facilitator; I am perfectly willing to come to Richmond. With thanks again for your outreach, I am, Yours truly, Ellen Bowyer

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Letter from Amherst County Attorney

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COUNTY OF AMHERST OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TELEPHONE (434) 946-9431 AMHERST COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FACSIMILE (434) 946-9370 153 WASHINGTON STREET P. O. Box 390 AMHERST, VIRGINIA 24521

County Attorney Ellen Bowyer E-mail: [email protected]

April 30, 2015 Via e-mail to [email protected] John W. Daniel, II, Esq., Deputy Attorney General Office of the Attorney General 900 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Re: Sweet Briar College Dear John, Thank you for your letter of April 30, 2015, inviting me to meet with you, counsel for Saving Sweet Briar, Inc. and counsel for Sweet Briar College to discuss ways forward to resolve the closure crisis. I am delighted to accept. I can meet any day from now until May 14, 2015, except for Tuesday May 5, 2015. I am a little surprised you have not invited counsel for the faculty and staff (White & Case) and counsel for the alumnae, students, and parents of students (Elliott Schuchardt). Are you planning to include them?

I appreciate Attorney General Herrings concern that Sweet Briar and its community engage

in open, honest, and transparent communication about the Boards decision; in fact, I could not agree with that approach more. As one step towards that transparency, and to help lay the groundwork for a truly successful meeting, I would ask that the College produce the following at least two business days prior to any meeting date:

All materials relied upon by the College Board of Directors to make the decision to close (including

without limitation any reports or studies from any consultants or employees of the College). All reports, analyses and other materials demonstrating the Colleges alleged lack of financial

viability, including without limitation communications since June 2014, identifying problems connected to the bonds and other debts.

Minutes, audio and video recordings for all Board meetings since May 2014. Documentation of donor agreements to release restricted funds, referred to by Woody Fowler at the

April 15, 2015, hearing. Documentation describing what assets have been sold or transferred to date, and are planned for

transfer in the future, and describing the transfer of land and buildings from occupants to the College. All materials provided by the College to the Attorney General in connection with any proposed or

potential action under the Virginia Uniform Trust Code.

All the parties need to know the true lay of the land so that we can have a productive dialogue, and sharing this information will help ensure that common knowledge base. I would like to participate in the choice of the third party facilitator; I am perfectly willing to come to Richmond. With thanks again for your outreach, I am,

Yours truly,

Ellen Bowyer

2015-04-30T17:03:33-0400Ellen Bowyer